The Observer Effect
by Point237
Summary: Sandy is afflicted with an ailment from the past, and Pashmina seems to be keeping something from everyone. Meanwhile, a door to an alternate universe opens, creating a world of possibilities for the Ham-Hams. Canon characters. Rated T for violence.
1. Ch 1 Just Another Day In The Old Town

**The Observer Effect**

Hello people~ This is my first fanfiction. I'm guessing there aren't many sci-fi stories around here, so I'll take a try at it :]. If you're wondering what kind of sci-fi it will be, it's not the kind with all the cyborgs, fancy guns, and gadgets (hamsters with laser guns, hm...maybe another time). I like to keep things real. What? Alternate universe, real? Well I've got scientific theories to back them up, and Maxwell will be my mouth :3.

Here comes the setup of the story.

* * *

**Ch. 1 Just Another Day in the Old Town**

"Is she going to be okay, doctor?"

Relying on his trained eyes, the man in white coat closely examined the little fur ball that was shivering in a cage. He shone his miniature flashlight left and right, checking for any serious symptoms. Satisfied that he didn't find any, he assured the young woman.

"Yes, she will be. Hamster babies tend to catch the flu quite easily, all year round. Make sure she gets plenty of food, water, and rest, and she'll be better in no time."

"She has a brother at home whom she often plays with. Do you think it's good to have them both together right now?"

The doctor shook his head, "No, that won't do. She needs peace and quiet right now, or else it could take up to twice the time for her to recover. Worse, she might even give the flu to him. Do you have a separate cage?"

"No…but I'll think of something. Thank you."

"Great. Now, Hillary, why don't you come with me to the other room? There's this medicine you can put in her water bottle that I want to give you. Then there is some paperwork to be done." He beckoned her to the door and turned off the already dimmed light, leaving the room in darkness aside from gentle moonlight coming from the open window. The breeze of the summer evening leaves the room warm and humid. "Let's give her some rest in the mean time."

"I'll see you in a bit, Sandy," Hillary said, and closed the door behind her.

The lone critter, glad to be surrounded by the hamsters' natural nocturnal setting, crawled to the corner of the cage to burrow herself in the bedding. She dug and scooped out wood chippings only to find that the bottom is not the warm earth, but cold plastic. Placing some wood chipping back on the base of her bed, the tiny hamster prepared herself for slumber. Curled into a ball, the only thing that differentiated her fur from the bedding are the three dark brown fur markings on her head.

As the peaceful weariness began to surround her, Sandy was jolted awake by pawsteps in her cage. She tried to make out who the intruder was, but he was coming from the direction of the moonlight, and she could discern was a shadow, about the size of a grown hamster.

"Who…?" Having barely just learned how to talk, she could only manage a half comprehendible sentence.

"Shh…I'm here to help. You're sick right? This will make you better," the unknown hamster said while approaching her. "Now…it might sting just a little."

Sandy grimaced as the hamster pressed a needle into her arm. She yelped at the sudden pain. Being the first time experiencing a foreign object intruding into her, Sandy panicked and resisted. "Go…away!"

"Shh…That's it. I'm done. Sleep well, Sandy."

The tiger-striped baby hamster pressed her paw against the wound and cried. She looked up to catch the silhouette of the hamster jump out the window.

The door opened and Hillary came back with the doctor. "It's time to go, Sandy. Say thank you to the nice doctor." She took the cage in her hand and headed for the drive home.

Comforted by the presence of her owner, Sandy was now able to sleep more pleasantly. By the time she woke up the next morning, she couldn't tell if what happened last night was a dream or not.

-Two years later-

"When we see a sunflower seed in front of us, is it really there?" Maxwell pulled out a sunflower seed and presented the question to the hamsters at the table. "How do we know what is real and what isn't?"

"Well what kind of question is that now?" Howdy said. "Ya'll can feel it and ya'll can eat it."

"Now close your eyes and imagine the sunflower seed in your head. Can you still see it in your mind? Can you still remember the smell and the taste?"

"Oh I most definitely can," Oxnard peeped. "I can never ever forget the mouth-watering taste of a sunflower seed. Yum…just thinking about it makes me so hungry." He opened his eyes. "Are you going to eat that seed, Maxwell?"

Slightly fazed, Maxwell handed the seed over and continued, "You can still think the sunflower seed to be there because mass, space, energy, and time are created as an image in your mind by your senses. This is the power of perception."

Bijou whispered to Boss, "Boss, what is mass again?"

"You don't know what mass is? Well! Good thing you asked the brightest ham around here!" Boss laughed. Cappy turned his head toward him in admiration.

"Mass is…you know, the…" his plan to impress his crush failed once again, Boss went red in the face. "Dexter, help me out here."

"Mass is the amount of material in an object. It is also associated with weight due to gravity," Dexter stated confidently.

"Well aren't ya a big smarty-pants?" Howdy retorted.

"To be fair, a mere shopkeeper doesn't really have the mental capacity to learn anything constructive about science. The comparison of me being a know-it-all is hardly valid."

"What did you say?"

"Guys, break it up," Pashmina yelled. "We're trying to listen here!"

"Yeah you two. What Maxwell is saying sounds interesting," Bijou said. _Interesting in the sense of utter bewilderment, anyway._ She thought.

"René Descartes, Aldous Huxley, and many other curious minds have ventured into the field of perception, in hopes of understanding more about it, and perhaps, take advantage of its uses. What was found was that, in a nut shell, perception is the key to transformation." Happy that he was able to arrive at the main point of the topic, Maxwell enthusiastically carried on. "Reality is both subjective and malleable. If you can dream a better world, you can make a better world.

"Think back to when you were a hambabe, when everything in the world was new and mysterious. The mind of a pup soars. Your whole life experience runs on the juices of imagination." Some of the hamsters looked into the distance, thinking back to their childhoods.

"By simply using your creative minds, you could paint the world into a whole different palette. Nevermind that rusty cage of yours, your home is actually a castle, surrounded by sunflower fields, and carved by the most beautiful marble there is."

Bijou's eyes lit up, "Oh I most certainly can remember such a time. I was ze princess in the kingdom of fairies and had ze whitest dress and—" Realizing she had said that out loud, Bijou blushed madly.

"Say, Bijou, was there ever a prince in your kingdom?" Boss asked.

"Not now, Boss," Sandy sighed.

Maxwell ran his eyes around the group and said, "Some believe, as I do, that the intelligent mind is infinitely capable at birth. However, with every force it encounters, be it physical, intellectual, or social, it becomes diminished. In fact, there are some who are looking for ways to enhance—"

"Hamha everyone!" Hamtaro bursted through the Ham-Ham clubhouse door. "Sorry I'm late! I had to wait longer today because Laura overslept again." His expression was saddened for a few milliseconds, only to brighten up right away. "Say, is everyone ready for the picnic up at Acorn Mountain?"

"Of course we are, little hamdude. We were just listening to Maxwell blab on here while waiting for you," Stan said.

"STAN! Don't you ever say that about Maxwell! He's smarter than you'll ever be!" Sandy could not help but shout at such an inconsiderate comment by her twin brother.

"Chill out sis. Way to be overprotective over your hamboy." Stan made smooching noises.

"At least I HAVE a hamboy. That's one more than the number of hamgals that you have."

Stan's face dropped. "Ouch."

_Well, I'll never get their attention back now,_ Maxwell thought. _Might as well wait for tomorrow._

Meanwhile, the other hamsters were chatting about the trip they were about to set out.

"Are you all ready, Pashmina?" Panda asked.

"Yub. I packed Penelope's favourite roasted corn and lettuce sandwich."  
"Ookwee, ookwee!" Penelope jumped happily.

Hamtaro was trying to contain his excitement while talking to Oxnard, "We should playing acorn soccer first when we get there! No! Berry picking first! No wait! Maybe we can…"

"Let's go guys! Time to go!" Boss called. Everyone cheered. The Ham-Hams scuttled out of their clubhouse, excited of the upcoming fieldtrip.

"Zu…zu…zu…" Snoozer remained indifferent to anything except getting his sleep.

* * *

"Ticki ticki…" The thirteen Ham-Hams trekked up the slope to the summit. The path is lined by gentle green shrubs and red wildflowers. In the bright summer sun and the gentle breeze, the mountain appears animated and lively, as if it is whole-heartedly welcoming those who wish to conquer it. To the right is a near-straight drop. The surface of the steep slope, blanketed with rocks and roots protruding from the ground, provides a base to the perfect bird view of the town. From a glance, houses and stores seemed compacted and jammed together. However, humans and cars can be seem bustling in the tiny pathways between the houses. It was quite a magnificent sight.

"Ookwee, Okwee!" Penelope suddenly tugged at Pashmina.

"What is it, Penelope?"

Penelope pointed a flower on the side of the cliff. The lone plant sticked out of the side of that cliff at an angle. It had a garnet colour as red as a ripened apple and shaped like a star. Such a brilliant colour amidst of the foul and unfriendly ground seemed to suggest that it defied the natural order of things itself.

"You want to pick that flower, Penelope?" Pashmina asked.

"Ookwee!" Penelope started to scurry toward the flower, but Pashmina held her back.

"Wait Penelope! It's dangerous to go that close to the cliff. We'll have to be careful," Pashmina surveyed the flower's position and gauged the situation. "This might take a bit of time…"

She looked up to find that the group did not notice that they had stopped, and were already a way ahead.

"Penelope, we don't want the rest of the group to worry about us. We'll get it when we head back okay?"

"Ookwee…" Disappointed, Penelope started jogging a bit with Pashmina to catch up with everyone.

* * *

"GOAL!" Boss shouted as an acorn flew past a scared hamster cowered in fear.

Oxnard tentatively raised his head. "Is…is the game over?"

"Oh yeah," Boss smirked. "We totally beat you guys. What's the score, Cappy?"

"Five-one, Boss."

"Nice goal, Boss!" Bijou called from the side. Boss froze at that comment, and only meekly waved back. _What would I do without her? _He sighed.

"Everyone did well!" Sandy also yelled.

While the game was over, the competition was not lost between Howdy and Dexter.

"You're so useless, Dexter! Stan went straight by you and you let him by!"

"For your information, I had taken the acorn from the other team way more times than you had, Howdy!" As expected, the two started fighting immediately after the verbal dispute. Normally, Pashmina would have noticed such a quarrel over something to petty, but she was preoccupied at the moment. Penelope kept pestering her to go back for the flower.

"Penelope, I told you that we would go back for it at the end of the day, remember?"

"Ookwee, ookwee, ookweeee!"

"Penelope! You're so stubborn sometimes. Fine, we'll go." Eventually Pashmina caved.

She walked over to Sandy and Maxwell, who were busy sharing their lunch in the comfort of each other's company.

"Sandy, Penelope and I are going to take a little walk, okay? We'll be back in a bit," Pashmina said to the distracted hamster.

"Uhm, what? Oh, okay. Sure Pashmina," Sandy quickly replied and turned her attention back to Maxwell. "So, Maxwell, what suddenly got you so like, interested in these confusing and complicated stuff?" Sandy continued their conversation while Pashmina and Penelope walked away.

"I just think, the things I used to enjoy reading about, like history, math formulas, or biology, are always about me simply reading, memorizing and learning the facts. But this… Quantum mechanics is completely different. They give the room to think for yourself, to really dig into the different possibilities and perhaps discover what no one else had thought imaginable. It is quite something." Maxwell turned to look at Sandy eagerly. "In fact, I planned out more things to tell all of you guys. Do you want to come over today after this picnic so I can show you the books? My human won't be home until later in the evening."

Sandy nodded and replied, "Hillary is going to the gym after dinner, so I will be able to leave my cage." _Maxwell is so amazing,_ Sandy thought. _He's going to become someone important someday, I'm sure._

Boss, Stan, Dexter, and Howdy had now started a second round of acorn soccer. Other uninterested hamsters went off on their own to find something else to do. Oxnard, Cappy, and Panda took this time to start eating their packed lunch. Hamtaro, seeing Bijou atop a tree, climbed up to join her.

"Hiya Bijou! Wacha doing up here by yourself?" Hamtaro scooched onto the branch that Bijou was on and sat beside her.

"Oh 'amtaro. I was looking at ze view from up here." Happy to see him join her, Bijou scooted closer to the orange hamster. "See? Look over zere," She pointed to the west. "You can see the ocean from here. It sparkles in the sunlight. Isn't zis so romantic?"

Hamtaro nodded. _Romantic, huh? Well it sure looks pretty, anyhow._

Taking in the marvellous scene, the two hamster leaned against the tree trunk, and gradually fell into a doze in the shade of the leafy canopy.

* * *

"…uys! Guys! Bijou, Hamtaro!"

"Mm…euh?" Bijou startled awake. It was now late afternoon. The sun was already more than halfway down the sky.

"Come on down guys!"

"Be right zere!" Bijou called. "Wake up, 'amtaro."

Hamtaro stirred in his sleep, then slowly got up and stretched, trying to chase away the drowsiness. Bijou blushed from just looking at him. _Aw…'e looks so cute like zat._ She shook her head to clear the thought. "Come on, 'amtaro. Zey're calling us."

"Right be—," Hamtaro yawned. "—behind you."

The two hamsters scurried toward their friends, basked in the gentle shimmer of sundown.

Oxnard grinned at the two when they approached the group. "Hey guys, guess who showed up?"

"Oinky, oinky!"

"Nice to see you, Hamtaco and Bijou."

"Jingle!" Bijou greeted the wandering hamster happily. Jingle responded with a strum of his guitar.

"It's HAMTARO, Jingle!" Hamtaro said. _He gets Bijou's name right and not mine?…_

"You here to join the picnic dude?" Stan asked. "Getting a little late you know."

"In life there is no early or late, only the will to pursue what awaits," Jingle recited his poetic lines. "If you wish to change your life, there is only do, not 'no time to'" The thought, _heke?_ went through every hamster present.

"I met him on the way back from picking this flower that Penelope wanted," Pashmina explained while sniffling a bit. "She was so happy when we got it." She smiled slightly.

Sandy looked concerned. "Are you okay Pashmina?"

"Yeah. Penelope ran to the side of the bush to play, and when I caught up with her, we both fell into this puddle," She sniffled again. "I think I might have a cold now, so Penelope and I are going to go home right away. I was just about to go get her, she's still in the bush there, drying up."

"Well then hop on to the ride and we'll see where the wind takes us," Jingle offered a seat on his pig.

"Why, thanks, Jingle. Let's go get Penelope then," Pashmina looked at Jingle with thankful eyes, then turned to the group. "Bye everyone!"

"Bye Pashmina!"

The Ham-Hams watched Herbert slowly march down the trail. Knowing that the rest of them have to walk the way back, they felt slightly envious of Pashmina.

But then Bijou popped in a comment, "Poor Pashmina. She must really be getting a cold. Just look at her, she's shaking."

The others agreed, and started to scour around to pack things up and get ready to leave. The mood livened up once again as the busy hamsters chatted about their day on this outing. The Ham-Hams then began their own journeys down the mountain. Backpacks secured on their shoulders and all hands held, the hamsters happy trotted their way toward their homes while watching the flaming sunset in the distance.

A perfect ending to a perfect day.

…but is anything ever perfect?

* * *

That's it for the opening. Does it seem like a pointless part of the story? Well, I included some foreshadows in there.

Also, future chapters probably won't be as long as this one. I had debated whether to put the first part as a prologue, but ultimately decided against it.


	2. Ch 2 Through the Looking Glass

**The Observer Effect**

Wow, it took a really long time just for me to write another chapter, huh? Even when I said last time that this chapter would be shorter, it didn't really turn out like that lol. I changed the story summary. I was really rushing it last time, and it didn't really make sense. Anyway~ on to the story.

* * *

**Ch. 2 Through the Looking Glass**

"People have long believed in an omniscient being. One who knows and controls all. Many names were given for such a being, and many searches were made without fruition."

The clubhouse was enveloped with a mellow atmosphere. After such an exertion at Acorn Mountain yesterday, the Ham-Hams were enjoying a relaxing day-in (though not after some minor debate. "Let's go outside, guys!" the energetic orange and white hamster had yelled. "Hamtaro!!" came from all directions). Small talks were tossed around to pass the time for those who were feeling chattier. Others who were not conversing were snoozing or spacing out. Cappy was playing on the side by himself, being without a playmate today. Stan was in his usual spot, improvising rhythms with his maracas. He was always a bit reluctant to wholly join in with the Ham-Ham group. The only hamster he was close to was his own sister. No matter though, the Ham-Hams were not doing much together today. Pashmina and Penelope did not show up, presumably because of their sickness. The effect of this on Dexter and Howdy was them being disengaged and lax.

This left Bijou, Hamtaro, Boss, Sandy, Oxnard, and Panda listening to Maxwell's lecture.

"As we all know, our world is a three dimensional one," Maxwell scooped up a toy block on the floor. "Take this wood block for example, it has a length, width, and depth, as does every object in our world."

"Um, Maxwell, may I have that back?" Cappy asked meekly.

"Oh…sorry," Maxwell handed back the block to Cappy who continued to build his castle model.

"But of course, it is arrogant to think that our world is the only one there is. The third dimension is not even the highest dimension. In fact, in theory, there are ten in all."

"Really now, Maxwell. Ten?" Boss remarked sarcastically and held out his paws. "That's more than the fingers I got. How's that work?"

"You should all be familiar with dimension one to four, fourth being duration. From the fifth dimension on is where things get interesting. In order to form the fifth dimension, there must be splits from the fourth dimensional time line. The splits," Maxwell said confidently, his pride of knowing such knowledge apparent on his face, "are our choices, choices that we make in our everyday life." Expecting everyone to understand, he went on, "The sixth dimension then is yet another split, or you can say, fold, from the fifth. Different paths of choices lead up from different conditions and…"

Sandy, in the mean time, was drifting off on the side. She had heard this already when she visited Max last night. He had gone on to talk about the starts and finishes of _different_ universes, and even universes with different physics laws. She did not get it at all, and she doubt she will, even after the second time.

_"Then there's the 10__th__ dimension," Maxwell had said. "I refer to it as the Grand Entity."_

_ Sandy tiled her head, "As in, like, everything?"  
"No, not just everything. In the 10__th__ dimension is all there could've been, all there is, and all there ever could be, under all possible initial and final conditions."  
"Heke??" Sandy was now super confused._

_ "If there truly is an omniscient being, that's where I believe it would be. Though…it is quite a sad existence isn't it? To know that there is absolutely nothing beyond your mere being…"_

Her eyelids growing heavier and heavier, Sandy's breathing became more and more shallow, and the silky tendrils of the dream realm pulled her into a deep, deep enticing slumber.

It was bright sunny day, quite unlike the damp Clubhouse Sandy was just in. The Ham-Hams were outside in the meadow, enjoying the sun. Some hamsters were sitting around Maxwell, listening to his lectures, some are playing games, running around on the hills where so many memories were made, and some are, including herself, Sandy realized, sunbathing on the soft grass. Beside her were her best girlfriends, Pashmina, Penelope, and Bijou.

"We definitely don't get zis kind of weather in France," Bijou sighed. "C'est très beau."

"You know, comparing this to the trip we took yesterday, I think I might even prefer this," Pashmina said. "It's cold up in the mountains."

"Ookwee, ookwee!" Penelope pointed at the red flower she had stuck onto her blanket.

"Oh, that's right, Penelope," Pashmina smiled. "If we hadn't gone, we never would've gotten that cute brooch for you, right?" She snuggled against her life-long best friend.

"Oui, and I zink 'amtaro and I had really gotten closer that day," Bijou blushed slightly and turned to look at the spirited hamster being tackled by Stan, apparently playing some game they had just invented.

"Oooh," the girls squealed. "Are you going to ask him…you know?" Sandy pressed on.

"Well…I don't zink I can be so direct like zat," Bijou said uncertainly.

"You can't just give up like that, Bijou!" Sandy gasped. "Love doesn't just come to you. You have to seize it!"

"But…"  
"Oh, give her a break, Sandy," Pashmina said. "It _is_ kind of the first sign of Hamtaro even understanding what love is. Bijou doesn't have to rush it _that_ quickly."

Penelope looked bored on the side, and tugged at Pashmina, "Ookyoo."

"Oh okay, go ahead and go play, Penelope," Pashmina watched Penelope run off. "She's even more clueless than Hamtaro, isn't she?"

"Yeah, she is," Sandy turned back to Bijou. "I still think you should go for it."

"Well, euh…" Bijou stammered. "Maybe I should give it a few more times before…" She trailed off quietly.

"No need to rush this, Bijou," Pashmina reassured Bijou. "You don't know how Hamtaro will react right away."

"But Pashmina…" Sandy started again. The two continued to argue in regard to their matchmaking expertise while an uncomfortable Bijou lied in the middle. Both girls were convinced that she was of better insight. However, the bickering quickly ended, not by one side submitting, nor by Bijou's intervention, but by a scream.

"Ookyooo!!"

"That sounded like Penelope!" Pashmina gasped and jumped up, startled. "Guys!! Help!! Something happened to Penelope!!" She immediately dashed toward the source of scream with a burst of speed fuelled by maddening distress.

"Stan, Boss, Hamtaro! Come on, hurry up!" Sandy yelled and followed Pashmina into the bushes.

"Penelope?" Sandy shouted. She hiffed and searched in the shrubs, scanning the dirt for any hint of Penelope's track. A complete grid-by-grid search was performed, yet all Sandy found were Pashmina's widespread tracks. Fearing that she had missed something, she followed Pashmina's track into a small clearing, hoping that she had better luck.

"Pashmina…?" She saw her then, kneeled on the grass, with her back facing Sandy.

Sandy sneaked closer, "Pashmina? Did you find Penelope?" Then she realized Pashmina was talking.

"No, no, no, no…this isn't happening…there's no way…"

"Pashmina, what are you—" Sandy gasped. In front of Pashmina was Penelope's yellow blanket, now tattered, ripped, and coated in dirt. Pashmina sobbed loudly. "She's gone, Sandy!"

"Hold on just a min—"

"Caw! Caw!"

Sandy snapped her head up to find herself in the menacing face of a raven towering over her and Pashmina. It clicked its dark-red-stricken beak ominously and stared down the two hamsters with its charcoal black eyes. Pashmina lifted her head slightly. "Her brooch…"

It was then that Sandy realized the red flower Penelope had with her was on the talon of the raven. _The red on its beak must be…_ She shuddered. It took another heavy step toward them.

"Sandy? Pashmina?" The Ham-Hams had reached them and poked their heads out of the shrubs just as Sandy turned her head around. She signalled to them madly, waving her paws, motioning them to go back.

However, the yelling had already startled the raven. It opened its beak to caw once again, the bloodthirsty tone clearly audible.

"Run!!" Sandy shouted and bolted back where they came from. The Ham-Hams instantly disappeared behind the bush. _I just need to get under some cover, then it'll be okay,_ Sandy thought with distraught. Knowing not to look back, she perked up her ears to listen for the approach of the raven.

There was none.

Puzzled, Sandy risked a glance back. What she saw stopped her right in her tracks.

Pashmina was still in her place, never moving once. The raven leaned its head in cautiously, suspicious of a trap. Convinced that there was none, it moved in for the kill.

"Pashminaaaa!" Sandy cried. "Don't you—!" She was interrupted by a loud crunch, as the raven closed its beak on Pashmina's head.

"Ahhhh!" Sandy sat up abruptly, arms flailing and drenched in sweat. "Pashmina! That raven! She—what?" She looked into the eyes of each of the bewildered hamsters, confused.

"Are you okay, Sandy?" Stan asked, a legit look of concern on his face.

"I, uh," Sandy realized she was in the clubhouse, with everyone's stupefied attention focused on her. "Oh man. It must've been a dream," Sandy sighed. "Gosh…it was so real."

"Aw, Sandy, come here," Maxwell took Sandy into a hug. "Nothing happened. You're alright."

Sandy shivered while Maxwell held him. As scared as she was, she felt so secure in Maxwell's firm yet gentle embrace. _His body is so warm…_ Sandy thought. He softly caressed her back, and whispered, "I'm here for you." Sandy felt as if a giant soothing blanket had been placed over her, and began to calm down. The chronic trembling subsided. And the two gently broke away.

Sandy took a few moments to compose herself, then slightly smirked at Maxwell, "You smell like old books."

Maxwell broke into a huge grin, and said, "Don't be sounding high and mighty now. When's the last time you cleaned yourself?"

"We're hamsters, not fancy house cats," Sandy retorted. "You need to sweat more to be healthy, Maxwell."

Maxwell laughed at that, "Well, I'm glad you're back to your normal self. Come on, I'll walk you home." With that, the two hamsters stepped out, paw in paw.

Howdy yawned, "Eh, everyone's leavin', hm? Guess there's not much here for us to do." The other hamsters murmured their agreement. One by one the Ham-Hams filed out of the clubhouse.

* * *

"Hey, Pashmina. When'd Penelope get that flower brooch?"

It was the day after. The Ham-Hams were just outside their clubhouse, getting some fresh air while eating their lunch.

"Oh, we picked it off the side of the road during the trip we had to Acorn Mountain," Pashmina was trying to feed Penelope lunch, but had little success.

"You sure, Penelope? Isn't this your favourite?"

Penelope shook her head. "Okwee…"

_That brooch sure seems familiar…_ Sandy thought curiously.

"Sure? Alright then," Pashmina put the roasted corn and lettuce sandwich back into the picnic basket. She turned to Sandy and Bijou, "It's weird. She's not eating much these few days."

"Maybe she's still a little sick?" Bijou suggested. "You guys did only stay 'ome for one day."

"I hope not," Pashmina said worryingly.

"I know how to cheer that gal up!"

"Heke?" The girls turned around toward the source of the voice.

"She's a bit down eh? Well, that's no problem!" Howdy hollered. "All she need is a little lightening up. That's why she's not eating. Get it? She's lightening up! Ah hahahaha!" He rolled on the grass laughing.

"Er…"

"Who's feeling chilly after hearing that?" Pashmina grimaced. "I got some warm food here."

"Oh oui, please."

"Yeah, I'd like some too."

Dexter came in and smacked Howdy on the head. "God, you're horrible." He sat down by Penelope and sneered at Howdy. "Watch how it is done."

He started by getting her attention, "Hey, Penelope." She turned to face him. Dexter then quickly covered his face with his paws.

"Peek-a-boo!" He removed the paws hiding his face. "I see you!"

"Ookwee!" Penelope turned her back to Dexter, not talking and brooding.

"Penelope is not one month old, Dexter!" Sandy snapped.

"Er, well I…sorry," Dexter hanged his head.

"Way to go, genius!" Howdy inserted his input.

"What did you say?!"

"Come on, Penelope." Pashmina stood up, exasperated. "We'll go somewhere without the _boys_."

Sandy could not help but feel a little uneasy as she watched Pashmina and Penelope walk off by themselves. _Wait… why do I feel this way?_ Sandy wondered.

"Hey, Bijou, Sandy," Hamtaro called from a distance. "Wanna come join us? We're going to paint pictures!"

"Oh, euh, it's euh, 'amtaro," Bijou stuttered. "We'll be right— just one sec— euh…"

"We'll be right there, 'kay?" Sandy yelled. Hamtaro did a little wave then disappeared behind the hill.

"Like, what's going on, Bijou? I've never seen you _that_ nervous in front of Hamtaro," Sandy questioned.

"Well, euh… during the Acorn Mountain trip, we were sitting alone in zis tree, and, I don't know… I felt like, for ze first time, 'amtaro might understand my feelings for 'im and…" Bijou blushed.

Sandy gasped, "No way! Aw, our little buddy's finally all grown up."

Bijou laughed weakly, "Zat's one way to put it."

"Well! You know what you have to do, don't you?" Sandy declared. "It's time you finally tell him about your feelings."

"You… you zink so?"

"Yeah! You two are practically already best friends. It'll totally work out!" Sandy encouraged her. "In fact, you go ahead and paint with them. I'll go find Pashmina. You two might not be exactly alone, but like, at least it's better with one less hamster, right?"

"Okay…. You're right, Sandy!" Gaining more confidence now, Bijou said. "I just need to start talking, zat's all."

"That's the spirit! Good luck!" The two hamsters parted ways.

_Huh… totally a déjà vu moment right there,_ Sandy thought. _Weird._ She found Pashmina and Penelope not long after she started to search for them. After a few cracks about Howdy and Dexter's earlier behaviour, they started chatting non-stop about boys.

As the sky turn orange, yet another day began to end for the merry Ham-Hams who coast through every single day with content. All was perfect in their lives. What they did not know was that, for the entire day, someone had been watching them.

He lightly strummed his guitar in a nearby tree.

* * *

I hope you guys enjoy the happy moods I've been writing, because they're not going to last long…

Review if you would like. I could use some help with writing the fluffy and mushy part of the story (like MxS). I'm not very good at that.


	3. Ch 3 Waves of Nostalgia

Thx for those who reviewed, and a shout out to HHP members. You guys are awesome ;3

This chapter will define how the rest of the story goes. I hope by the end of this chapter you will want to stay till the finish.

Onward to the story~

**

* * *

Ch 3 Waves of Nostalgia**

"I'm not kidding, girls."

"How do we know this isn't just another ploy for you to get attention?"

"Ookwee!"

"Come on, Pashmina. Since when do gentlemen lie?"

Resisting her urge to bury her face in her paws, Bijou looked at Stan with exasperated eyes. "Uh 'uh…"

"Well, then, if you missus don't believe me, maybe I'll just save that special place for some other gals," Stan propped his arms behind his head and flashed his trademark smirk.

"Well that's fine by me," Dexter haughtily strolled in, mimicking the action pushing up his glasses-shaped fur marking while doing so. "Pashmina will be perfectly happy with me, and not you."

Dexter's comment made Howdy on the side totally steam up. "Yeah well—"

"I don't even want to hear it!" Boss shouted. "Can there ever be just one day where we don't have a dispute here?" He sighed in frustration.

"You guys are way tense, man. You need that vacation bad. Now, if you'll just believe me…"

The clubhouse door squeaked from seasons of poor maintenance as other Ham-Hams arrived.

"Yo, sis! What up?" Stan called.

Sandy saw Stan being in close proximity with the girls and immediately raised red flags alerts for her brother's flirtatious habits. She furrowed her brow. "You better not be causing troubles with my friends again, Stan."

"Hey, we're all cool here. No need to get into a fuss," Stan shot her an assuring smile, only to falter slightly under the unsatisfied glare from Sandy. "Am I right, ladies?" Stan shook his maracas.

"Stan 'ere zinks 'e's found a perfect 'oliday spot."

"Yeah, it's supposed to be a really magical place on the beach."

"Ookwee…"

Sandy nudged right between Stan and her friends. "The beach? How would you have gotten there all by yourself?"

"I went with Noel yesterday. While he was picking up babes on the beach—or, trying to anyway—I went off on my own and stumbled upon this cliff-side clearing that was just totally awesome," Stan winked. "That place is cut off from the rest of the main beach by trees and briars, so I'm positive that no humans have ever been there."

"Do you really think you can find it again?" Oxnard asked.

"Leave it up to me! And better yet, I know which bus Noel took yesterday. We can leave right now and still have the whole afternoon to spend there."

"That sounds fantastic!" Hamtaro jumped up. "Come on, guys, what do you say?"

"I'm still having a hard time believing it," Howdy tapped his fingers on his apron.

"Zuzu… I think… it sounds like fun… Zuzu…" Snoozer's lisping comment came above their heads from the second floor.

"Are you even going to get up, Snoozer?" Boss called from the bottom of the stairs.

"Zuzuzu…"

"Yeah, I figured."

"Stan _was_ the one who found Acorn Mountain. I think we can trust him," Panda pointed out.

"Then, all in favour of a beach party?" Boss proclaimed.

"Aye!"

"Let's start packing up then. Chop chop!"

At the sound of that, Oxnard instantly bolted into the storage room to raid the sunflower seed supply. Noises of clatter bombarded the inside of the clubhouse as each of the hamsters hastily sorted through their personal belongings. Sandy dug through her drawer, trying to find the perfect ribbon to bring along with her. Pashmina walked up to her.

"What do you think of all this, Sandy?"

"Stan tries to impress people all the time," Sandy answered. "But I don't think he'd lie about something of this magnitude."She turned around, holding up two ribbons in front of Pashmina. "Party? Or beach girl?"

"Beach girl."

Sandy returned to examining her pack. Finding everything in place, she smiled with content. "I think that's everything," She turned around, carrying the pack on her back. "What about you, Pash—?" She dropped the pack on the floor as her muscles went limp with shock.

The horrendous scene in front of Sandy told her that she definitely was not in the same place as she was before. The merry clubhouse was merry no more. Instead of all the activity and heat that was just momentarily present, the air was thick with grave stillness. A quick survey of place showed how much of a wrecked mess the clubhouse was in. An alarming amount of furniture was overturned, not unlike petty shrubs being beaten aside. The floor was imprinted with mud-trudging pawprints. With a start, Sandy realized that Pashmina, who was supposed to be right in front of her, was nowhere to be seen in this lifeless clubhouse that Sandy seemed to have crossed over to. Sandy looked up to find pieces of tattered paper drifting down under the dim incandescent light. Her vision shimmered under the light, causing Sandy to instinctively wipe her eyes with her arm. She found her fur to be dampened with moisture. _Tears…?_

"Are you absolutely sure, Maxwell?" Sandy turned her head toward the source of the voice. The Ham-Hams were sitting together at the round table, seemingly in a meeting. A thick ominous atmosphere overshadowed the table. Intense eyes stared at Boss without falter. "I think I speak for everyone when I say that none of us would want to go back there, not for anything."

"One-hundred percent positive," Maxwell answered in a foreboding tone. "I spent the last twenty-four hours investigating and researching. There is no mistake."

A grim silence took over the table.

"…Well then, what does that mean for us?" Dexter awaited the answer from the other hamsters in despair, appearing on the verge of tears.

"Something has to be done, that's for sure," Boss stated firmly.

The hamsters pondered the predicament without fruition. Eventually, amidst the forlorn hamsters, one stood up and left. He slammed the clubhouse door shut with a bang. The other hamsters looked at each other uncertainly.

"We should go after him…" Hamtaro began to stand up also, but was stopped by Maxwell.

"I think it's best to leave him alone," Maxwell shook his head sadly, then turned to Sandy. "Sandy? Any ideas on what we should do?"

"I— uh—"

"Sandy?" Fingers snapped in front of her face. "You okay? Yo, Sandy?"

"Me? Uh— I… Wait, what?" Sandy concentrated on the scene in front of her. No longer was the clubhouse overhung with dreary gloominess. The air was once again filled with innocent laughter and the spirit of bustling activity. The clubhouse was as dandy as the way they were the last time a spring-cleaning was performed. Everything was… normal. Pashmina had not seemed to notice Sandy's strange behaviour and was chatting with Penelope across the room. Sandy swivelled her head left and right, then focused on the tiger-striped hamster in front of her, Stan, who bore an empathetic expression.

"Like, sis, you've been just standing there looking into nothing. Is everything okay?" Stan's softened eyes surveyed his sister's confounded expression, his usual macho demeanour absent.

"Oh…Stan. Yes, I think, yeah, I'm fine, totally." Remembering something, Sandy wiped her eyes with her paw. It was dry.

"You sure? Is there anything you want to talk about?" Stan approached her slightly.

"No, no. I'm fine, really." Sandy looked into Stan's concerned eyes briefly before looking away. She started to back away a bit. "Well, you know, I'm going to go get ready." And with that, Sandy scampered off.

Stan stared into Sandy's retreating silhouette, then sighed and went back to gathering his things.

* * *

The Ham-Hams stood under a magnificent metal tower in awe. Upon examination from cranking their necks way back, the hamsters marvelled at how the monument seemed to expand upon itself into a spherical globe atop.

"Is that the wizard's staff to summon the buses?" Cappy asked with fascination in his eyes.

"It's enormous!" Hamtaro exclaimed in amazement.

"Oh, please, guys," Stan rolled his eyes. "It's called a Bus Stop. Wait a bit. The buses come every 15 minutes or so."

"That's smart," Panda said. "I should make something like that for our Ham-Ham Train."

"Zis will be so fun," Bijou exclaimed with joy. "I've never been on a bus before."

"I have once," Hamtaro chirped. "It's much, much bigger than a minivan, and you see things just fly by from the window. It was the first time I met Jingle too."

"Oh haha, I remember that," Oxnard chuckled meekly. "If it weren't for Jingle, we never would've gotten home. Right, Penelope?"

"Ookwee!"

Sandy stood alone by herself, staring at the sky, seemingly troubled in thought. Stan approached her and put a paw on her shoulder.

"Hey sis, I think we really need to talk." Stan said in a serious tone.

"What about?" Sandy asked innocently, but Stan could see that she was trying to conceal her feeling of unsettledness. It pained him to see that his own sister could not comfortably confide in him. He led her away from the group so they would have some privacy.

"You know, you seemingly to scare yourself out of your wits every now and then, the blank stares, and the constant frowns." Sandy turned her head to meet Stan's stare. "It reminded me of something… something during our childhood."

Sandy felt her heart flutter and broke away from the eye contact. They had been more distant lately. It was as if that, for them, the initial exhilaration of being reunited started to wear out. In no time, they began to grow tired of each other's presence. Neither Stan nor Sandy was pleased with such outcome, but neither did they know what to do. Stan began to show up at the clubhouse in less frequency. Sandy started to choose to hang out with her friends more than her brother. In no time, a rift had cut between them, and a bridge was hard to build with both of them on opposite sides.

"It was during that time you were sick," Stan continued. "You would wake up in the middle of the night all the time, screaming and crying. Or even, when we're just taking walks, you would sometimes suddenly stop and stare into empty space, as if you were seeing something from another realm."

_Another realm…_ Sandy was reminded of the vision she had earlier.

Stan stared up at the sky. "After that, you would often collapse onto the ground, and I would have to help you up and carry you home." He looked at Sandy. "Do you remember any of that, sis?"

The mental image of Stan holding out a paw to help her up flashed into Sandy's mind. "I think so… a little."

"That was around the time we were separated. I was so angry when Hillary split us apart, with you being in that state," Stan's eyes began to glisten and his face scrunched up in a slight snarl. "I couldn't help you then, Sandy. That was because I wasn't there. But I'm here now. I want to help you get through this, whatever it is."

"Stan…" Tears began to stream down Sandy's face.

"Do you also remember what I told you before I left, Sandy?" Stan looked at Sandy with determination on his tear-stricken face. "I promised you that, if you should ever feel afraid and need someone there, just think of me, and I will know, and I _will_ find a way to get to you, to hold you, and tell you that everything's okay. I won't ever break that promise, Sandy. I love you. I don't want us to ever drift apart ever again."

"Stan… I…" Sandy looked him Stan with increasingly reddening eyes, then ran into his arms and bawled out all the stress and all the tension that had accumulated from the last few days. "I love you too. I'm sorry… I didn't mean to push you away. I don't know how we got to be like this and…"

"I'm here, sis. Everything's okay," Stan sobbed silently in the embrace. "Whatever worry you may have, we can work through them together." For a while, they stayed in the huddle, neither saying a word, simply relishing each other's company. Not once did Stan let go of Sandy. He kept holding on, making sure she was okay, until Sandy started to relax and breathe normally. "… Now, come on," he gently released her at length. "Today shouldn't be a day filled with tears. Just wait 'till you see what I'm going to show you guys."

"Right…" Wiping away the tears with her arm, Sandy smiled. "…Brother!"

"Sandy? Stan?" The twins heard Maxwell calling. "The bus is here!"

They hurriedly returned to the group. Together, the thirteen hamsters hopped onto the bus. And just before the door closed, one more jumped on.

* * *

"Déjà vu, defined as the illusion of having previously experienced something actually being encountered for the first time." The Ham-Hams waited patiently on their bumpy, sweaty-smelling ride toward the outskirts of town. To pass the time, Maxwell began another of his lectures. "I'm certain that all of us had experienced such 'illusions' one time or another. But what are they, really?

"If you guys remember what I've told you about the higher dimensions two days ago, about our choices leading up to different paths, then you'll understand this: Déjà vu is a momentary glimpse to the other side. We feel that we've been somewhere before because actually, we have, in another reality."

"You're not making sense," Dexter rubbed his eyes. "What do you mean, another reality?"

"See, look," Maxwell stood up, and began to use his paw to draw a diagram on the foggy surface of the bus window. "We three-dimensional creatures experience life as a linear progression," he drew a straight line. "But _that_ is an illusion, because everyday, life presents us with an array of choices," he drew two splits from the line. "To stay home, or to go to the clubhouse. Out of those two choices, it is only possible to make one." While the Ham-Hams stared at the diagram, trying to make sense of it, Maxwell continued, "Your day would be quite different depending on which choice you make. And so, with each choice we make, another reality is created. In this case, one where you stayed in your cage, and another where you're in the clubhouse. That is the Multiverse Theory." Maxwell sat back down, and the Ham-Hams shifted the attention back to him as the diagram began to fade with more fog build-up.

"So… you're saying, that in another reality, every single girl would be falling for me?" Stan's face gradually formed into a smirk as the implication set in.

"I don't think that would ever happen, no matter what choices you make," Boss scoffed.

"And, and, in some other world, I have a whole house-full of hats?" Cappy asked with great excitement.

"And somewhere, another me will have figured out how to build electronic apparatuses that I never could figure out how to make?" Panda inquired, then went deep in thought. "If only I can travel there and ask him—or is that me?—how he did it…"

"Well, no matter which reality it is," Sandy turned to Pashmina. "I'm sure we would always be the best pals."

"Yeah, haha… of course," Pashmina agreed almost a bit too forcibly. Fortunately for her, Sandy did not notice.

"I don't think it matters what happens in the other realities," Hamtaro scooted right beside Bijou, their faces apart only by a whisker-length. "All that's important is loving your friends and having fun with them. Right, Bijou?"

"Of course." Bijou looked deep into the pair of hazel eyes. "I love all my friends."

* * *

"Okay! Head count time!" Hamtaro shouted. The Ham-Hams stepped off their bus ride and were now situated on a rural and primitive road buried in small loose rocks. "One, two, three… Howdy, stop moving! Twelve, thirteen… fourteen. That can't be right."

"What? I was never moving…" Howdy mumbled so quietly that no one had heard.

"…Eleven, twelve, thirteen! All right, good. Let's get going!"

Feeling the soil soft yet crunchy under their paws, the Ham-Hams began their journey to the "Promised Land". They followed the road toward the ocean, occasionally passing by a human or two. As they neared the populated beach, the road became more and more uneven. The Ham-Hams trekked over the human-foot-ridden loose dirt, each shoe imprint an obstacle the tiny hamsters have to overcome. The golden beach sand was just over the yonder and shortly within reach, but Stan motioned them to stop. He beckoned them over for a detour.

"This way," Stan instructed and disappeared behind a thick bush. After employing a good deal of thrashing and agile manoeuvres, the Ham-Hams finally got through the cursed obstruction. They found themselves in a woodland with a dirt path lined by towering red cedars and evergreens. The trees wore layers of vines, as if trying to preserve the warmth of the sun that they themselves have blocked. Even so, the green lush underbrush made their jubilant appearance in the thin sunlight. As the slivers of light penetrated past the leafy blockades, they collided with the ground with a bright explosion that shone ever so vibrantly. With the constant tug of the playful breeze, the leaves swivelled back and forth, changing the pattern of the sparkling pieces of diamond on the dirt path, not unlike looking into a kaleidoscope. Each blade of grass, flower stem and tree branch gracefully reached out to bask in their secluded haven. Tree roots extended out with their robust out-stretched arms all around, hugging all the plant life together, giving the place a serene feel of peace and harmony.

"This place looks very old," Maxwell commented while the Ham-Hams walked with their heads cranked up in awe of the scenery. The mesmerizing rattle-like sound of the leaves in the breeze added to their silent pawsteps dampened by the soft soil engulfed the Ham-Hams in an ethereal atmosphere. "Look at the plantations. They thrive with the absence of disturbance from common mammals. It's as if we're the first ones to come here ever… hmm?" He leaned forward to inspect a rodent-like track seemingly coming from the same place as they did, but leading deeper into the neighbouring thickets. "Was that you Stan? From yesterday?"

"No way, dude. I never left from the track," Stan replied absentmindedly.

"Well, I guess we aren't the first hams after all…"

* * *

"Now, let's see. Where are we…?" Stan muttered under his breath. Fortunately, the Ham-Hams did not hear his remark, for he led the group with a significant lead. For almost an hour, they have been following the twists and twines of the seemingly endless path. Everything appeared to look the same. There was even this constant rustling in the bushes that seemed to be always one step behind them, as if the forest itself was following them and laughing at their cluelessness. Some were starting to get fidgety.

"Stan, how far is it still?" Boss asked with slight irritation. There had been several forks in the path, and every time it seemed to take Stan longer to decide than the last.

Stan strolled with quasi-assurance in front of the group. He tried to act confident, but still could not resist the temptation to scratch his head in nervousness. "Uh, just a little bit further."

"Don't tell me we're lost, Stan!" Howdy puffed.

Stan reply came from ahead, "No way, man. I'd never get lost, plus—oh, oh, wait, wait, ah HA. I found it!"

The Ham-Hams scrambled past the curve on the path to catch up to Stan. They found him simply standing in the middle of the track, smiling proudly. The confused hamsters looked at him at a loss.

"This bush," Stan patted the stalk of fern behind him, "was a landmark I used. See, it looks just like how Sandy looks when she's mad." He winked at his sister, who stuck her tongue out at him.

"And now… eight paces to the right. Here it is." The undergrowth rustled as Stan burrowed through it.

The Ham-Hams followed suit and pushed through the leafy drapes to be momentarily blinded by the sudden intense light. As their visions cleared, they found themselves being welcomed by the sun in its overhanging throne and the singing royal white knights patrolling the sky. Now free of the obstruction from the woods, the brightly shone sky reached down to embrace the tiny guests. The ground expanded upon itself into a ledge, all the while greatly stretched perpendicularly, spanning the full length of the semicircular tree line. Beneath the hamsters' paws, the undergrowth heroically stampeded the rocky landscape, seeking to conquer the unfriendly barren territory, only to find that it was not to be assimilated easily. As the soil level diminished toward the ledge, bushes turned to grass, and grass turned to loose stones, appearing like a massive green carpet leading up to the naturally formed elevated observation deck. The bumbling ocean seated itself unforgivingly on top of the immovable stone balcony, obscuring all other views with its size. As the awestruck hamsters approached the ledge, the grand view of the sandy beach revealed its majestic presence fifty feet below. The Ham-Hams had come a long way, for the human crowd and their beach umbrellas now looked like strangely coloured fungi in the distance. From there on, the beach was a radiant honey-coloured yellow. Then, closer to where the Ham-Hams were, the fungi returned, this time in the forms of pink and white shells leeching onto the rotten tree trunks below. The tides crashed onto the solid matter much denser than its own, roaring loudly and mimicking the grand finale note of their welcome fanfare. The hamsters' whiskers perked up with contained delight in the temperate sea breeze.

"Told you dudes I'd find it. No worries, right?" Stan fell backward onto the soft grass, soaking in the soothing warmth of the sun with his eyes closed. "Man, that was so mentally draining. I'm gonna relax here for a bit. Just, you know, don't fall down the cliff or anything."

"This is totally incredible, Stan!" Sandy exclaimed, her eyes glued on the everlasting ocean waves in front of her. Behind her, Stan, who still had his eyes closed, smiled with satisfaction.

"Come on, guys!" Hamtaro could not contain his eagerness anymore and jumped into the air with a sudden release of energy. "Let's go play!"

"Ookyoo! Ookyoo!"

Laughing, the excited hamsters scrambled to rid themselves of their packs and ran after Hamtaro, all except Oxnard, who was still standing at where he was, looking uncertain.

"Wait up! Guys!" Oxnard shouted desperately. "Shouldn't we unpack some seeds first?" Fumbling, he snatched a single seed from his pack to put in his ear and ran after the group.

* * *

A wave gushes of wind rushed past Maxwell, as if chasing each other in the free vacuum, much like the hamsters behind him. Even as he pressed his paw down on the flapping pages of his book to stop the maddening slapping noise, he could hear high pitched squealing behind him. Not that he minded it; he was used to reading in a raucous environment, as he often did in the clubhouse.

As a matter of fact, he relished in it. He knew that he was not like everyone else, always happy and full of energy, but they accepted him anyway. Then again, nor was anyone exactly the same as each other. This aspect of the Ham-Hams was what allowed them to have such a tight bond. Just about every single one of them had a different interest, but it was not similar personality nor hobby that brought them together. No, it was their simple fondness for each other's company that lit the spark for friendship. Whatever would happen to them, if even a single person was gone…?

Maxwell stopped that thought in its track. _There I am again having my thoughts going all over the place._ He tilted his book forward to pick up more sunlight and continued reading. _…And what was concluded from the experiments is that, in order for the waves of probability to collapse, there must be a presence of an active observer…_ He heard a shuffling behind him and looked up.

"Hiya Maxwell," Sandy smiled sweetly. "Can I sit?"

"Sure thing," he patted the grass beside him. "Why aren't you running around out there?"

"Just thought I'd rather join my boyham," she giggled. "You mind?"

"Not at all, of course." Maxwell wrapped his arm around her.

* * *

"Don't mind me ya'll. I'll be right back," Howdy called to the Ham-Hams.

"Oh come on, Howdy. Our team will be missing a person," Boss called back.

"Sorry mate. Nature calls."

* * *

"Aren't you going to eat, Pashmina?" Bijou asked. Beside her, Penelope devoured her snack happily, her appetite seemingly to have returned.

"You know, I've actually had a huge lunch," Pashmina replied. "I'm going to go take a walk."

* * *

Stan was snoozing mightily fine in the shades when thumps of pawsteps jolted him awake.

"Oh, hey Howdy," he opened his eyes to identify the passer-by hamster. "Didn't expect you to be wondering around here. What's up?"

Howdy looked anxious as he faced the intrigued hamster. "Um, nothing much. Just taking a walk. I'm gonna head that way, kay?" With that, he strolled off, if a bit hastily, leaving Stan alone once again.

"Weird…" Stan yawned and shut his eyes.

* * *

"Where do you think we go when we die, Sandy?" Maxwell asked her, holding her paw.

"Huh? That's pretty hard… Well, Stan told me once that there's this place up in the sky where everyone who is gone lives, even like, our parents."

"So heaven, huh? I wonder… Maybe such a place do exist…"

"You should know better than that, Maxwell." A voice came from behind the couple.

"What?" Maxwell saw the hamster behind him and his face lit up. "Jingle!"

"It's what the wind calls me, yes." Jingle jumped down from Herbert, who settled comfortably beside them.

"How did you find us? I thought we were the only one who knew about this place," Sandy asked.

"I'm a traveler. I've been to more places and … than most mortals have."

"What? I didn't quite catch the middle—" Sandy was cut off by Maxwell.

"That's it! Those pawprints back at the track. They must be yours, right?" He asked excitedly.

"One doesn't leave a trace so fine, when his ride is a swine."

"It's not you either…? I wonder who it is then…"

* * *

Pashmina stood by the cliff, watching the ocean slowly, but surely, sweeping the contents of the beach far, far away. She stared deep in thought, tuning out her surroundings, including the approaching pawsteps behind her.

"Hey! You!"

Pashima jumped into the air, utterly startled by the acute unfriendliness of the voice. She turned around, already feeling cold sweat enveloping her body, and saw—

"Howdy?" She inquired, incredulous.

"Do you have _any_ idea what you have done? How could do you that to her?" He took a step toward her while spitting out the words.

"Wha…?" Pashima opened her mouth in a daze while the implications fluttered in her mind.

"You're disgusting! You're a criminal! No…worse! A despicable monster!" He took another step forward, his cold eyes darkened by what seemed to be the pain of lost scrutinizing her intimidated state.

"What are you saying, Howdy?" She almost begged him, being on the very brink of tears.

"Don't even talk! You're not the Pashmina I knew! Where is she? Give her back!"

"I don't—I don't what you, who—" She sobbed out loud, fearful for the unknown. Howdy took this as an act of defiance. He shrieked and charged toward her. Pashmina barely had time to scream, but rather yelped in pure fear. Panic set in and she instinctively cowered with her body turned sideways, arms flapping out in dismay. She felt her paw connect with a body and the force carried through as her whole body weight shifted to push the assaulter away from her…and over the cliff!

She gasped as she saw Howdy lose his last contact with the ground and pummelled. There was no freeze in time nor slow motion as she watched the body bounce away from the cliff wall then onto the jagged rocks below in horror. When the tumbling finally stopped, the arms and legs hang at odd angles. Bright red blood began to pour out of the collapsed skull and punctured chest. The mouth was open with a limp tongue sticking out, and the eyes were wide open. The body was perfectly still, but in Pashmina's mind, it was still falling and tumbling. Her mind continued to replay the scene over and over, making her see him fall again and again, making her hear his pained grunt again and again, making her stand completely still in shock. Her mind shut down. All she did was look at the viscous liquid seep into the sand, at the dim and grey rocks splattered with crimson red blood, at the widened eyes that tried to take everything in but could see nothing.

Her knees went limp and she kneeled down onto the loose rocks. The impact on her body jarred her mind slightly, and a half comprehendible thought went through her mind. _It's just like…_ She lowered her head, her whole body completely refused to function. Enveloped in pure primal behaviour, she did the one thing that she could do.

She screamed.

"Pashmina!"

She weakly turned her head, then her eyes widened with disbelief.

"What's going on? Are you okay?" The hamster in front of her asked in agitation, his paws firmly gripped onto his red apron.

"Howdy…! I…"

Then everything went black.

* * *

Until next time~


End file.
